Tractor controlled harrow



Aug. 1, 1944. L, cooKEr'Al.

TRACTOR CQNTROLLED HARROW Filed nec. 1'?, 1941 INVENTRs CURT/SS L. COOK Patented Aug. l, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv TRACTOR CONTROLLED HARROW Curtiss L. Cook vand Austin E. Young, Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to Syracuse Chilled Plow Co., Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York 'Application December 17, 1941, Serial No, 423,326

12 Claims. ICI. 55-104) The present invention relates generally to farm implements of the tractor drawn type and more particularly to implements in which the position of the ground working tools is controlled by movement of the tractor relative to the implement.

The object and general nature of the present invention is the provision of an implement of this type in which means is provided for adjusting the operating position of thel tools in conjunction with releasable means which controls the movement of the tools by the backing or forward movement of the tractor, the construction vbeing such that the tractor may be used for moving the tools from operating to non-operating position and vice versa without moving the setting of the adjustable means that determines the oper- Aating depth of the tools. More particularly, it is a -teeth are held in working position by a releasable lock which reacts against an adjustable hand lever that determines the operating depth of the tools. Further, it is another feature of this invention to provide remote control means for releasing the lock to permit the forward movement of the tractor to swing the teeth into transport position, the adjusting lever remaining in its position of adjustment so that the teeth may again be restored to the predetermined operating position merely by backing the tractor.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the preferred form of the invention has been illustrated.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spring tooth harrow in which the principles of the present invention have been incorporated; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side View showing the draft operated linkage in collapsed position, corresponding to the raised position of the tools.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawing, the harrow comprises frame means indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral I and which includes a hitch structure or draft frame 2 and a structure comprising tool supporting means 3. The draft frame 2 comprises a pair of rearwardly diverging bars 5 and 6 connected together at their forward ends and at their rearward or laterally spaced ends to a cross bar 1. A center member 8 comprises a pair of channels 9 and IIJ connected together in closel ly spaced relation by means including a clip I2 welded'to the front ends of the members 9 and I0 and a rear plate' II to which the central portion of thetransverse bar l is fixed in any suitable manner. The tool or tooth bar supporting structure 3 comprises three runners I3, I4 and I5, preferably of identical construction except that one may be right hand and the other left hand, hence a detailed description of one bar will suffice. Each runner bar carries a plurality of brackets I'I and at its forward end is bent upwardly and forwardly, as at I8, to secure a sled runner effect, and a suitable wear plate I9 is adjustably fixed to the upwardly bent portion I8 of each of the runners I3-IS. An upwardly extending draft plate 2| is also fixed to the forwardy end of each of the runner bars I3I5 and is provided with a plurality of apertures in any one of which a pin may be disposed to connect a draft frame clevis 22 thereto. Preferably, the clevises 22 are connected to the transverse draft frame bar I by a bolt 23 or the like. The wear plates or wear shoes I9 are connected by means of a slot and bolt arrangement so that each shoe can be adjusted downwardly as wear occurs. Also, the wear plates or wear shoes I 9 can be reversed or replaced to prevent wear of the angled portions I8 of the runner bars.

Rockably mounted on the tool supporting structure 3 of the harrow is a plurality of transverse fore and aft spaced tooth bars 21, 28 and 29. An angle clip 3| is fixed to each end of each of the tooth bars and is apertured to receive a pivot bolt 32. The bolts 32 thus define axes of rocking movement of the tooth bars on the runner bars I3-I5. A plurality of teeth 35 are fixed by any suitable means, preferably adjustable, to the tooth bars 2l, 28 and 29. In the preferred construction illustrated, the teeth 35 are spring harrow teeth and are fixed to the tooth bars by U-shaped clamping yokes 36 which embraceY the associated tooth bars and are apertured to receive the inner ends ofthe teeth. Each U-shaped clamping member 36 is provided with a set screw 3l which when tightened serves to hold'the associated spring tooth rigidly in place on the'tooth bar. By loosening the set screws 31, the teeth may be shifted to various spacings, as desired, and more teeth added or some removed, as may be necessary, without disconnecting the tooth bars. The several tooth bars are connected together by arm and link means indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 39. Each of the arm and link means includes an arm 4I rigidly fixed, as by a clamp 42, to each tool bar, and preferably the arms 4I are arranged in a line approximately midway between the center runner bar I4 and the laterally outer runner bars. A link 44 is pivotally connected, as by bolts 45, to the outer ends of each set of three arms 4|, whereby the tooth bars are connected for simultaneous rocking movement. The teeth 35 and the tooth bars 21, 28 and 29, together with associated parts, constitute a tool means or a tool unit carried by the tool supporting means 3 of the frame I.

The depth adjustment and release control mechanism, with which lthe present invention is more particularly concerned, is indicated in Vits, entirety by the reference numeral 50 and com-- prises a rock shaft journaled for rocking movement on suitable brackets 52 xed to the cross bar 1 of the draft frame 2. A pair of arms, each indicated by the reference numeral 53, is xed to the outer ends of the rock shaft 5|, and each arm 53 is connected by a link 54 to the forward end of the associated link 44 which, with the associated arms 4 connect the tooth bars for simultaneous rocking movement. Preferably, each arm 53 consists of a U-shaped strap member apertured centrally to receive the rock shaft 5|, which preferably is square, and folded over to provide means to receive a clamping bolt 55 by which the arm 53 is securely and vrigidly clamped to the rock shaft 5|. A third arm 51, which preferably is of the same construction as the arms 53 just described, is fixed to the rock shaft 5| in a position centrally thereof and between the two center brackets 52. A, longitudinally disposed slidable draft member 58 includes a forward section 58a that is slidable in between the two channels 9 and I0 and a rear section in the form of a link 58h pivoted, as at 58, to the forward section 58a. The forward end of the draft section 58a carries a hammer strap 6|, the forward end of the section 58a and the strap 6| being apertured as at 65 (Figure 2), to receive a hitch pin 62, whereby the narrow may be attached to the tractor simply by dropping the pin 62 through the tractor drawbar 63. The rear portion-58h of the slidable draft member 58 is angled upwardly and rearwardly and fis pivotally connected at 64 to the center arm 51. Thus, whenever the tractor is backed to shift the draft member 58 rearwardly relative to the draft frame 2, the arms 53, 51 are rocked rearwardly and this, in turn, acts through the arm and link means 39 to swing the tooth bars 21, 28 and 29 in the corresponding direction, lowering the teeth 35 into working position. Similarly, when the tractor is drivenforwardly to shift the draft member A58 forwardly relative to the draft frame 2, the teeth are swung in the other direction into their transport position.

In order to control the teeth, by movement of the tractor, from transport to working positions and vice versa, we provide toggle link means 10 which includes a pair of togglelinks 1| and 12. The latter link is pivotally connected at its rear end to the upper end of the central arm 51, and the front end of the rear toggle link 12 is extended upwardly, as at 14, and rearwardly thereof is pivoted, as at 15, to the rear end of the front toggle link 1|. A trip lever 16 is pivoted, as at 11 (Figure 2), to the upturned end 14 of the rear toggle link 12 and is formed with a cam end 18. A cable 19 extends from the outer end of the trip lever 16 to the operators Station on the tractor. The front end of the toggle link 1| is connected, as at 8|, to a manually operated adjusting lever 82 which is pivoted at 83 to a sector 84 xed to the right hand center draft frame bar 9. The sector 84 is notched to cooperate with detent mechanism 85 carried by the hand lever 82. The lever 82 is arranged to be within easy reach of the tractor operator,

The operation of the implement described above is substantially as follows.

Figure l shows the teeth in working position and the toggle mechanism 18 in extended or locked relation, the hand lever 82 being locked to ,l the sector 84. With the parts in these positions,

forward draft applied to the slidable drawbar 58 propels the harrow as a unit with the teeth in operating position. The working depth of the harlrow teeth may be regulated by unlatching the lever 82 from the sector 84 and moving the lever to various positions. This movement of the adjusting lever 82 shifts the toggle link mechanism 10 and rocks the rock shaft 5| in one direction or the other relative to the draft frame 2. This rocking movement of the rock shaft 5| acts through the links 54 to rock the tooth bars 21-29 and the teeth 35 connected thereto. This adjustment may be made at any time. While the hand lever 82 provides adjustment for practically any eld requirement, an even finer adjustment can be made by adjusting the teeth 35 in the tooth clamps 36, 31, as by loosening the set screws 31 and raising or lowering the teeth in the clamping yokes 36.

When it is desired to shift the teeth from working position to a transport position, all that the operator has to do is to pull the cable 19. This rocks the trip lever 16, causing the cam end 18 to bear upon the rear end of the link 1| and raising the pivot 11, and also the pivot connection 15 between the toggle links, thus swinging the latter upwardly beyond dead center relation and unlocking them, whereupon the continued pull exerted through the draft member 58 collapses the toggle links 1 12 and rocks the rock shaft 5| into transport position, as shown in Figure 2. This movement of the rock shaft 5| raises the teeth 35 out of working position.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the adjusting lever 82 remains in its position of adjustment even though the locking mechanism has vbeen tripped to permit the draft pull to swing the teeth upwardly into their transport position. When it is desired to lower the teeth into their working position, all that it is necessary to do is to'back the tractor relative to the harrow. The resulting rearwardly directed force acting against the arm 51 rocks the rock shaft 5| in a direction to swing the arms 53, 51 rearwardly. The rearward movement of the arms 53 moves the teeth 35 downwardly into their operating position and the rearward movement of the arm 51 extends thetoggle links 1|, 12 whereby, by virtue of their own weight and the weight of the trip lever 16, the toggle links drop into their over-center or locked position, as shown in Figure l. It will be seen4 from Figure l that the over-center position of the toggle links 1|, 12 is determined by the engagement Yof the trip lever 1.5 with the rear end of the link 1| just below the pivot 11. Thus locked, the toggle mechanism 10 reacts through the'adjustable hand lever 82 and against the draft frame 2 to prevent the draft member 58 from moving forwardly, and thus the entire harrow is propelled with the teeth in operating position. Itis to be noted that the toggle mechanism 18' may .be locked or unlocked as desired and that at any time when the teethare returned totheir workingposition, the setting of the hand llever 82 determines'that working position. Itis valso to be noted that the setting of the hand lever 82 is maintained no matter how many times the locking mechanism is tripped and restored extended or locked relation. y

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While in the drawings we have shown our. invention as applied to a single section tractor controlled. harrow, it should be understood that our invention is not limited to use with a harrow of l a single section, as it is adapted for use with one having any number of sections.

understood that certain features of our invention are adapted for use with other types of implements than harrows provided with spring teeth,

aspects of our invention.

It is also to be hold said teeth in working positionmovement of said hand lever, serving to. vary the working position of said teeth, and means controlled from a remoteV point for unlocking said toggle link `mechanism so as to'provide for movement of the 'tractor in said other direction relative to the Yharrow acting through said draftfr'n'ember to What we claim, therefore, and desire to securey by Letters Patent is:

1. A harrow comprising a draft frame including a transverse bar, a, plurality of runners pivotally connected at their forward ends with said, .bar, a plurality of transverse tooth bars rockably" connected with said runners and carrying harrow teeth, a longitudinally shiftable member slidably connected with said draft frame and operatively i connected with said tooth bars whereby rearward shift said teeth into their, transport position without affecting the position of said hand lever. ,4.1 A harrow comprising a tool support,'to oth bars rockably mountedl thereon,` a pairv of arm and link means connected in laterally` spaced relation with said tooth bars for causing all I of Vthe latterfto rock togethenteeth fixed to'v said bars, a draft frame connected with 'the forward portion of said main frame, a rock shaft journaled for rocking movement on said draft frame, a pairof arms fixed to said rock shaft in laterally spaced relation and connected, respectively, with movement of said draft member lrelative to said' draft frame swings said teeth into operating position and forward movement of said draft member relative to said draft frame swings said teeth f into transport position, a hand lever mounted on said draft frame and adapted to be fixed in vari- -ous positions relative thereto, and releasable locking mechanism connected between said hand lever and said draft member whereby the latter may be locked in its rearward position and the hand lever shifted to adjust the operating depth of said teeth. L

2. A tractor drawn harrow comprising a tool support, tooth bars rockably mounted thereon, a

pair of arm and link means connected in laterally spaced relation with said tooth bars for causing al1 of the latter to rock together, teeth fixed to said bars, a draft frame connected with said tool support, a rock shaft journaled for rocking movement on said draft frame, means connecting said rock shaft with said tooth bars, a draft member shiftable longitudinally on said draft frame and connected at its rear end with said rock shaft whereby when the tractor is connected to said draft member and backed relative to said harrow, said teeth are swung into operating position, releasable toggle link mechanism for holding said rock shaft in one position, corresponding to a working position of saidv teeth, and a manually adjustable hand lever associated with said toggle link mechanism for varying the working position of said teeth.

3. A tractor drawn harrow comprising frame means, tooth bars rockably mounted thereon, harrow teeth fixed to said bars, a draft member shiftable longitudinally relative to said frame means and operatively connected with said tooth bars for swinging said teeth into and out of operating and transport positions, said draft member being adapted to be connected to said tractor,

' whereby movement of the latter in one directionrelative toY the harrow swings said teeth into said arm and link means for controlling vsaid tooth bars, a central arm fixed to said rockishaft,

a draft member shiftable longitudinally onv said draft frame and connected at it's rear end with said central arma sector fixed to said draft frame forward of said central arm, a hand lever adjustably connected with said sector,` means including a pair oftoggle links connectedbetween said hand lever and said central arm,vw`hereby Vvwhen said toggle links are held in extended position said tooth barsandV teethwill beheld in a. given operating position, depending on the position of said hand leverand a draft pullapplied l ythrough said draft member will propelv the, harrow, movement of said hand leverv to various positionsv on the sector serving to adjust the operating position of said tooth bars and harrow teeth, and means controlled from a remote point for unlocking said toggle links to provide for the draft pull acting to collapse said toggle links, rock said rock shaft, and pull said tooth bars and harrow teeth into a non-operating position without affecting the position of adjustment of said hand lever, said harrowmteeth being restored 4to working position and movement of the tractor t said given operating position and said toggle links being restored to locked position by a rearwardly directed thrust on said draft member acting 'to move the latter rearwardly.

5. An agricultural implement comprisinga tool supporting structure, tool means shiftable relative thereto, a hitch structure connected with said tool supporting structure and including a shiftable member, means connecting said shiftable member with said tool means, whereby the latter may be shifted from one position to another by draft pull transmittedthereto through said connecting means, a manually adjustable lever pivotally mounted on one of said structures and adapted to be fixed to said one structure in different positions of adjustment, a releasable connection between said leverand said tool means for locking said tool means in one position as determined by the position of said lever and holding the tool means against movement toward the other position, but releasable to permit said tool means to shift to another position.

6. A tractor-controlled harrow adapted to .be propelled by a tractor, comprisingy tool supporting means, tool means mounted thereon for movement into operating and non-operating positions, means for applying draft to the tool supporting means comprising a longitudinally shiftable draft member adapted to be connected at its forward end with the-tractor and connected at its rear end with said tool means and arranged so that movement of said draft member in one direction yingthe lever in several'positions of adjustment, relea'sable' locking meansfconnected 'between said flever andsaid toolmean'sfa'n'd adapted when 'flocked tohoijdjsaid tooiimeans in a given position,

"depending upon the adjustment of said lever, fand means'forreleasiiigfsaid locking means inde- 'pendent'ffthe'position ,of said lever. Y A. .7. An` agricultural implement comprising a .frame,`ea1th working tools "connected with Vthe V.frame for movement relative thereto between f operating and non-operating positionsjpropelling fmea'nsv for theimplement,` saidpropelling means being of the type that'backs and moves forward, Emeans lmovably mounted on the frame and connected with the, propelling means and the tools f so as toL be controlled bythe backing of the pro- 'Apelling means for moving said tools into operating jposition, releasable locking means on the frame ,l `and connected between the latter and said Vtools ffor 'holding said tools against movement when in operating'position whereby' forward movement vofsaidpropellingrrieans propels said implement with Vthe tools in working position, and -means yfor shifting'said locking Vmeans relative to said framefwhensaid meansare in locked relation,

to vary the,operatingpositionof s aid tools.

85 A tractor propelled' narrow adapted to be connectedto"a'.,tractor of the type that backs f and moves forward,said harrowc'omprising frame gmea'ns, avpluralitybftools 'connected 'with the feria ngl arid`fnonoperating positions, means for connectin'grrsaid harrow tothe tractor including a, longitudinally ',shif'table member l'moa/ably jfrriourited' on ythe frame and operatively'connected i' .with the tractorfand said tools whereby backing `,of thetracto'r relative tothe harr'cwmoves said? tools into operating position; releasable locking ,means ,on the frame'and' connected'between the A`latter'and,said Atools vfor automatically holding i, said toolspagainstmovementwhen in said voperatm ing. position whereby subsequent `forward movei ment of `thelt'ractor draws is'aidharrow over the gvlind With Saidtls in operating, position," and allywconnected 'at theirforward ends with'said bari aplurarlity of transverse tooth bars `jrockably connected with -said runners' and carryingharrowivteeth; ay longitudinally shiftable' ldraftrnemf I berffslidably' connected witlfisaid draft frame and 'operatively :connected f withfsaid tooth vbars wherebyrearvfard"movement of said draft rnern-l ber relative'twsd draft frame SWIlgS-'Sad teeth Vinto'ope'rati'ng position 'anclfforward movement Vof said'draft 'member relative tosaid draft'frame swings, said teeth into transport position' releas able locking means voperativef' when lsaid'd'raft' Q frame for movement relative thereto between op- 2st-visto member lhas been rearwardly Vto rock said teeth into operating position, to lock said draft 'rnemvber againstfor'ward move-ment relative to the draft framewwhereby forward `pull transfbars rockably mounted thereon, a pair of arm and link means Yconnected in laterally spaced relation with said tooth bars for causing all of the latter to rock together,'teeth fixed to said bars, a draft frame connected with'said tool support, a ,rockshaft journaled for 'rocking movement on 'said draft frame, ineans connecting said rocksiaft'wth said tooth bars, a rigid shiftable draft member lon said draft frame operatively con- 'nected with said rockshaft whereby vmovement of said draft member in one direction' relative to said draft frame'swings sa'id teeth to-ward one 'position vand movement' of said draft member in the other direction' relative to said draft frame vshifts the teeth toward' their vother position, and

adjustable means releasably 'locking said teeth in operating position.

1l. A tractor drawn narrow comprising a tool support, tooth bars rockably mounted thereon, a

pair of Varm and link means connected in later- "aliy' spaced relation with said tooth bars for causfng all of the'latter'to rock together, teeth xed 'to said barsfa draft frame connected with said tool support,r a rockshaft journaled for rocking 'movement on said draft frame, meansconnecting said rockshaft with said tooth barsja rigid draft member shiftable longitudinally on said draft frame and connected at its rear end with lsaid rockshait whereby when the tractor is connected 'to said draft member and backed relative to said v harrow, said teeth are swung vinto operating porality of runners pivotally connected at their forward ends with said draft frame, a plurality of transverse tooth bars rockably connected with said runners and carrying'harrow teeth, a longitudinally shiftable draft member slidably connected with said draft frame and operatively connected' with said Atooth bars whereby rearward movement ofsaid draft memberrrelative to said a draft frame swings said teeth intooperating position and forward movement of said draftl member relative to said vdraft frame swings said teeth into transport position, releasable locking means operative, when A'said draft `member has 'been moved rearwardly to 'rock said teeth into operating position, to locksaid draft' member against forward movement-relative to the draft frame,

"whereby forward pull'transmitted to the draft 'member propels the harr'ow with the teeth in operating position, andadjustable means for rockingsaid teeth4 andmoving said locking means bodily, with the latter in locked position, to vary CRTISS L; COOK. AUSTIN E. YOUNG. 

